Something You Should Know

Latest Episodes:

Why Some People Stand Up to Bullies and Others Don’t & Where Idioms Come From Jul 28, 2022

Show notes

Seems like there is always new research coming out about the benefits of coffee. This episode begins with another one – and maybe one you haven’t heard before. You just need to drink 3 cups a day – or more. https://rightasrain.uwmedicine.org/body/food/can-your-coffee-habit-help-protect-you-skin-cancer

Probably everyone has been witness to a bully or some other inappropriate behavior and didn’t intervene. And later regretted it. It’s called “The Bystander Effect.” Why don’t people step in and callout bullies? Why do we leave it to someone else or no one at all? What would happen if we did step in when we see bad behavior in others? What’s the best way to intervene and not escalate a situation? Here to discuss and answer these questions is psychologist Catherine Sanderson, a professor in Life Sciences at Amherst College and the author of Why We Act. Turning: Bystanders into Moral Rebels (https://amzn.to/3vfUgrs)

Summer is the favorite time of year for many people. Yet, too much of a good thing can have consequences. Listen as I discuss how summer weather can impact your mood and state of mind. https://www.livescience.com/21431-hot-temperatures-mood.html

Idioms are interesting. They are those little phrases that work their way into our language to help us make a point. For example, play with fire, drink the Kool-Aid, move the goal posts or drop the mic. Where do these phrases come from? Why do some idioms last and others don’t? Do other languages also have idioms or is English unique in that way. Joining me to talk about this is Gareth Carrol a senior lecturer and researcher in linguistics at the University of Birmingham and author of the book, Jumping Sharks and Dropping Mics: Modern Idioms and Where The Come From (https://amzn.to/3J5XnaX).

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!

We really like The Jordan Harbinger Show! Check outhttps://jordanharbinger.com/startOR search foriton Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen!

Get $100 off of your first month with Talkspace! To match with a licensed therapist today, go to https://Talkspace.com& make sure to use the code SYSK to get $100 off of your first month!

Go to https://Shopify.com/sysk for a FREE fourteen-day trial and get full access to Shopify’s entire suite of features!

Redeem your rewards for cash in any amount, at any time, with Discover Card! Learn more at https://Discover.com/RedeemRewards

https://www.geico.com Bundle your policies and save! It's Geico easy!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is The Shopping Mall Dead? & When Less Is Really More Jul 25, 2022

Show notes

You have likely heard people say that having a dog is good for you. Usually, dog lovers say that. So exactly how good is good? Do dogs really improve your health and well-being? This episode begins with an explanation. https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/lifestyle/10-science-based-benefits-dog/

Shopping malls are an American institution. For decades they have been popular places to shop, eat, go to the movies and just hang out. But are their days numbered? Is the shopping mall a dinosaur today due to online shopping and changes in the makeup of America? Listen as I discuss the past, present and future of the shopping mall with Alexandra Lange an architecture critic and author of the book Meet Me By The Fountain: An Inside History of the Mall (https://amzn.to/3cyzahi). Listen to what she has to say and you won’t look at your neighborhood mall in quite the same way.

When there is a problem, we tend to add something to try to fix it. If there is trouble at work, we add a new rule. If there is a problem we need to solve, we look for new ideas. When we’re sick we want more medicine. Yet maybe it would be better to try to take obstacles away rather than add new rules and ideas – at least sometimes. That’s the case Leidy Klotz makes. Leidy is a professor of engineering and architecture at the University of Virginia and author of the book Subtract: The Untapped Science of Less (https://amzn.to/3olHXG5).

If you are one of those people who has trouble cutting back on sugar, maybe a pickle could help. Listen as I explain how this works. http://www.wisegeek.com/why-do-some-pregnant-women-crave-pickles-and-ice-cream.htm

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!

We really like The Jordan Harbinger Show! Check outhttps://jordanharbinger.com/startOR search foriton Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen!

Get $100 off of your first month with Talkspace! To match with a licensed therapist today, go to https://Talkspace.com& make sure to use the code SYSK to get $100 off of your first month!

Go to https://Shopify.com/sysk for a FREE fourteen-day trial and get full access to Shopify’s entire suite of features!

Redeem your rewards for cash in any amount, at any time, with Discover Card! Learn more at https://Discover.com/RedeemRewards

https://www.geico.com Bundle your policies and save! It's Geico easy!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SYSK Choice: How to Get the Truth From Anyone & Fascinating Bird Facts Jul 23, 2022

Show notes

If you took driver’s education, you probably remember being told to keep your hands at 10:00 o’clock and 2:00 o’clock on the steering wheel. That may have been some really bad advice. We begin this episode with a discussion on the best way to steer your car. http://www.thedrive.com/start-finish/9882/team-oneil-shows-how-to-position-your-hands-on-the-wheel

Is it possible to get someone to tell you the truth when they don’t want to? Jack Schafer says it is. As a former FBI agent, he has developed a technique based on some simple psychological principles that will get people to tell you things they never meant to. Jack is author of the book The Truth Detector: An Ex-FBI Agent’s Guide for Getting People to Reveal the Truth (https://amzn.to/30we8WU) and he joins me to discuss how you can use this technique and the reasons why it is so effective.

I bet you see and hear birds every day. Yet, you probably don’t think about them very much. Still, they are fascinating creatures and they have some extraordinary characteristics. For example, did you know that all birds are actually dinosaurs? Science writer Jennifer Ackerman has written articles for Scientific American, National Geographic and The New York Times. She is also author of a book called The Bird Way (https://amzn.to/2ZOvQpw) and she joins me to offer up some fascinating facts that will give you a new appreciation for birds.

You have to be careful what you say in a job interview. For instance, it’s difficult to brag about how humble you are because, well, how humble can you be if you are bragging about it? There are other words besides humble that are best left out of your self-description when you go on a job interview. Listen as I reveal what they are. https://www.themuse.com/advice/5-words-you-should-never-use-to-describe-yourself-in-an-interview

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!

Go to:https://actnow.climeworks.com/SomethingYouShouldKnowto start removing CO2 from the air today! For the first 500 people to use the code SYSK20, Climeworks will cover 20% of your first installment for monthly and yearly subscriptions.

For a limited time, SAVE 35% on Cozy Earth Bedding. Check out their awesome loungewear, too. Go to https://CozyEarth.com and enter SOMETHING at checkout to SAVE 35% now!

Hometap is the smart new way to access your home’s equity and pay for life’s expenses without a loan! Learn more and get a personalized estimate at https://HomeTap.com

Helix Sleep is offering up to $200 off all mattress orders AND two free pillows for our listeners at https://helixsleep.com/sysk.

Go to Amazon and search for Conair Turbo Extreme to get your 2-in-1 steam and iron steamer today!

Go to https://Shopify.com/sysk for a FREE fourteen-day trial and get full access to Shopify’s entire suite of features!

Redeem your rewards for cash in any amount, at any time, with Discover Card! Learn more at https://Discover.com/RedeemRewards

Go to the App Store or Google play to download Best Fiends for free. Plus, earn even more with $5 worth of in-game rewards when you reach level 5. That’s Friends, without the r—Best Fiends!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why The Negativity Effect Rules Your Life & What You Never Knew About Liquids Jul 21, 2022

Show notes

You probably hate when people don’t respond to your emails, right? Well, you may be part of the problem. Listen as I explain how this one little mistake in the subject line makes it easy for others to dismiss your emails and how to fix it. http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/291896/subject-line-typos-decrease-email-engagementrates.html

Why is it that bad things feel bad more than good things feel better? Someone can say 9 wonderful things about you and one negative thing – and you dwell on the one negative thing? It seems that it’s just the way we are wired says John Tierney who has researched and written a book about this called The Power of Bad: How The Negativity Effect Rules Us and How We Can Rule It (https://amzn.to/30Gn3EQ). The result of this is that we will do more to avoid a bad thing than to seek a good thing and this has all sorts of implications in your life. Listen as John explains how the negativity effect plays such an important role in many parts of your life

Think of all the liquids in your life. You drink several, one is running through your veins, your car runs on them – liquids are everywhere and they are vital to our survival. But what makes a liquid a liquid? Scientist Mark Miodownik, author of the book Liquid Rules: The Delightful and Dangerous Substances that Flow Through Our Lives (https://amzn.to/2RMwSyL) joins me to discuss the fascinating world of liquids. For one thing, liquids are hard to define yet one liquid (water) covers 70% of the earth’s surface. And as necessary as they are for us, there is actually very little liquid in the universe.

What is the worst color to wear on a job interview? Listen to hear what hiring managers say about the best and worst clothes to wear if you want to make a good impression. https://www.businessinsider.com/best-and-worst-colors-to-wear-to-job-interview-2013-11

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!

For a limited time, SAVE 35% on Cozy Earth Bedding. Check out their awesome loungewear, too. Go to https://CozyEarth.com and enter SOMETHING at checkout to SAVE 35% now!

Hometap is the smart new way to access your home’s equity and pay for life’s expenses without a loan! Learn more and get a personalized estimate at https://HomeTap.com

Helix Sleep is offering up to $200 off all mattress orders AND two free pillows for our listeners at https://helixsleep.com/sysk.

Go to Amazon and search for Conair Turbo Extreme to get your 2-in-1 steam and iron steamer today!

Go to https://Shopify.com/sysk for a FREE fourteen-day trial and get full access to Shopify’s entire suite of features!

Redeem your rewards for cash in any amount, at any time, with Discover Card! Learn more at https://Discover.com/RedeemRewards

Go to the App Store or Google play to download Best Fiends for free. Plus, earn even more with $5 worth of in-game rewards when you reach level 5. That’s Friends, without the r—Best Fiends!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bonus Episode: Why We Must Defeat Climate Change and How to Do It Jul 20, 2022

Show notes

The earth is getting warmer and the consequences of that have already begun to impact us all. Today, 6 out of 10 Americans describe themselves as “alarmed” or “concerned” about climate change, according to one recent study. Climate change is a huge global problem and there is likely not going to be a single solution.

Joining me to explain and help us all understand the problem and the solutions to climate change is Christoph Gebald. He is Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Climeworks. Listen as Christoph explains the causes of climate change and how reducing our carbon footprint will not be enough to defeat it. We also have to remove CO2 from the air – which is exactly what Climeworks does.

If you want to understand the problem better and discover what you can do to help fight climate change, listen and enjoy my conversation with Christoph Gebald.

• This special episode is sponsored by Climeworks

Climeworks is the leader in direct air capture technology. They make it simple for you to join the fight against climate change. Go to https://actnow.climeworks.com/SomethingYouShouldKnow to start removing CO2 from the air today. Make sure to use code SYSK20 and Climeworks will cover 20% of your first installment.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What Happens When You Love Things Instead of People & What Will Likely Kill You Jul 18, 2022

Show notes

Dog owners love it when their dog kisses them on the face. But is it really safe? This episode begins by explaining just how clean a dog’s mouth is and whether you should be so intimate with your pet. https://nypost.com/2022/04/06/your-dogs-kisses-could-contain-deadly-superbug-study-says/

People say they love their car or their house or maybe even a pair of shoes. But is it really love? Maybe, according to Aaron Ahuvia, professor of marketing at the University of Michigan who is considered to be the most widely published and cited expert on non-interpersonal love. Listen as he talks about our love of inanimate objects and activities what it all really means. Aaron is author of a book on the topic called The Things We Love (https://amzn.to/3z4992k)

Morbid though it may be, I suspect everyone wonders when they will die and what they will die from. What’s interesting is that if you actually understand what is most likely to kill you can prevent or at least postpone it from happening. That’s according to Shelia Buff author of the book You Bet Your Life: Your Guide to Deadly Risk (https://amzn.to/3ARYZ6b). Join me to hear Shelia explain the common and not-so-common ways people die – and why. And maybe how they could've avoided it.

For many people, finding love is hard enough – but finding it the second or third time can seem almost impossible. Listen as I explain what one psychologist says can help anyone find true love – again. Source: Finding Love Again by Dr. Terry Orbuch (https://amzn.to/3z0xiH4)

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!

For a limited time, SAVE 35% on Cozy Earth Bedding. Check out their awesome loungewear, too. Go to https://CozyEarth.com and enter SOMETHING at checkout to SAVE 35% now!

Hometap is the smart new way to access your home’s equity and pay for life’s expenses without a loan! Learn more and get a personalized estimate at https://HomeTap.com

Helix Sleep is offering up to $200 off all mattress orders AND two free pillows for our listeners at https://helixsleep.com/sysk.

Go to Amazon and search for Conair Turbo Extreme to get your 2-in-1 steam and iron steamer today!

Go to https://Shopify.com/sysk for a FREE fourteen-day trial and get full access to Shopify’s entire suite of features!

Redeem your rewards for cash in any amount, at any time, with Discover Card! Learn more at https://Discover.com/RedeemRewards

Go to the App Store or Google play to download Best Fiends for free. Plus, earn even more with $5 worth of in-game rewards when you reach level 5. That’s Friends, without the r—Best Fiends!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SYSK Choice: Understanding Time and Space & The Steps to a Perfect Apology Jul 16, 2022

Show notes

Being healthy takes a lot of work. But maybe it doesn’t always have to. This episode begins with some simple yet effective techniques that will help your overall health – and they only take a minute and hardly any effort. http://www.menshealth.com/health/ways-to-be-healthier

Why does time only go in one way? Every moment we move forward into the future, but we cannot go back into the past. How come? And what about intelligent life on other planets – and will we ever be able to travel to other planets or even other galaxies? If so, when? Joining me to discuss these big questions is Paul Sutter. He is an astrophysicist at Stony Brook University, host of the Ask a Spaceman podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-a-spaceman/id958825741) and author of the book How to Die in Space (https://amzn.to/3iXh9rP).

Are you good at delivering an apology? Most of us never had any formal instruction on how to apologize. Yet, when you think about it, a good apology can save a relationship. Molly Howes is a Harvard trained clinical psychologist and author of the book A Good Apology: Four Steps to Make Things Right (https://amzn.to/3euUzmN) and she has some great advice on how to apologize to make everyone feel better.

The snooze alarm on just about every alarm clock is exactly 9 minutes. Not 10 – not 8 but 9. Why? There is actually a really interesting reason as I explain it in this episode. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/22761/why-does-snooze-button-give-you-only-9-more-minutes-sleep

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!

Go to: https://actnow.climeworks.com/SomethingYouShouldKnow to start removing CO2 from the air today! For the first 500 people to use the code SYSK20, Climeworks will cover 20% of your first installment for monthly and yearly subscriptions.

Hometap is the smart new way to access your home’s equity and pay for life’s expenses without a loan! Learn more and get a personalized estimate at https://HomeTap.com

Upside is an incredible app for anyone who buys gas, groceries or dines out. Download the FREE Upside App & use promo code SYSK to get $5 or more cash back on your first purchase of $10 or more!

Go to https://Shopify.com/sysk for a FREE fourteen-day trial and get full access to Shopify’s entire suite of features!

Redeem your rewards for cash in any amount, at any time, with Discover Card! Learn more at https://Discover.com/RedeemRewards

The magic is waiting! Download Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells, for free, from the iOS App Store or Google Play today!

https://www.geico.com Bundle your policies and save! It's Geico easy!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Understanding Taste and Flavor & Why It’s Good To Get Angry - Sometimes Jul 14, 2022

Show notes

People cry when they are sad – so why do they also cry when they are happy? This episode begins with the explanation for why two opposite emotions can have the same symptom. And what happy occasion actually causes people to cry the most “tears of joy.” (BTW, it’s not weddings). https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/11/141111124047.htm

Did you know that flavor and taste are not the same thing? In fact, your sense of taste is much more complicated than you imagined and really involves all your senses. Plus, haven’t you wondered why you like some foods that other people hate? Why is that? Joining me to unravel all of this is Camilla Arndal Andersen. She is a food scientist in Denmark who studies people’s sense of taste and she joins me to explain that fascinating, complicated and very subjective sense of taste you have. Camilla also has a TED talk on the subject which you can watch here: https://www.ted.com/talks/camilla_arndal_andersen_what_happens_in_your_brain_when_you_taste_food?language=en

What makes you angry? And when you do get angry, what do you do with that anger? Could you maybe handle it better? Listen as I explore these questions with Ryan Martin. He is a professor of psychology and associate dean at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and has studied anger extensively. He also has a TED talk about it called The Upside of Anger (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfcQaXG_Qhs). Listen and I am sure you will have a better understanding of your own anger.

Children skip. You probably know how but grownups seldom skip. Listen as I explain why maybe you should try it again – even if you look a bit foolish. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3895968/Why-adults-stop-skipping-s-hard-Activity-uses-quarter-energy-running-speed.html

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!

Hometap is the smart new way to access your home’s equity and pay for life’s expenses without a loan! Learn more and get a personalized estimate at https://HomeTap.com

Upside is an incredible app for anyone who buys gas, groceries or dines out. Download the FREE Upside App & use promo code SYSK to get $5 or more cash back on your first purchase of $10 or more!

Go to https://Shopify.com/sysk for a FREE fourteen-day trial and get full access to Shopify’s entire suite of features!

Redeem your rewards for cash in any amount, at any time, with Discover Card! Learn more at https://Discover.com/RedeemRewards

The magic is waiting! Download Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells, for free, from the iOS App Store or Google Play today!

https://www.geico.com Bundle your policies and save! It's Geico easy!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How to Avoid The Summer Travel Chaos & Preventing Regrets About Money Jul 11, 2022

Show notes

Why is it that as soon as you get your car washed, a bird will find it and leave a nice big poop on your shiny clean car? Whatever force of nature causes that, you need to get that poop off – fast. Listen as I explain why and how to do it so you don’t cause more damage. https://www.mccarthycollisioncenters.com/blog/8-tips-to-clean-bird-poop-off-car-paint

Traveling this summer has been challenging at best. For some travelers it has been downright miserable. High airfares, cancelled flights, unruly passengers have made things difficult. So, what can you do besides just not go anywhere? Are there some tricks and secrets that could make travel a little more pleasant? Joining me to help you navigate through the travel chaos is Peter Greenberg. Peter is the travel editor for CBS News and produces travel related television programs for PBS including The Royal Tour (https://petergreenberg.com/category/the-royal-tour/) and The Travel Detective (https://petergreenberg.com/category/the-travel-detective/).

“If I knew then what I know now....” When it comes to financial decisions we have made, almost everyone has thought or spoken that phrase. To help you NOT ever have to say it again is Sam Dogen who writes the Financial Samurai blog (https://www.financialsamurai.com/) He is also a contributor to CNBC and author of the book Buy This, Not That (https://amzn.to/3bXBcrb). If you have ever made financial decisions you have come to regret, you need to hear what he has to say.

Fleas can drive your pet and you crazy – particularly in the summer. A lot of pet owners use flea collars to combat the problem but there are some concerns. Listen as I explain why stores such as PetSmart and Petco have stopped selling certain flea collars and how they may cause harm to your pet, your children and you. https://www.nrdc.org/experts/mrotkinellman/flea-collar-chemicals-are-poisoning-kids-and-pets

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!

Hometap is the smart new way to access your home’s equity and pay for life’s expenses without a loan! Learn more and get a personalized estimate at https://HomeTap.com

Upside is an incredible app for anyone who buys gas, groceries or dines out. Download the FREE Upside App & use promo code SYSK to get $5 or more cash back on your first purchase of $10 or more!

Go to https://Shopify.com/sysk for a FREE fourteen-day trial and get full access to Shopify’s entire suite of features!

Redeem your rewards for cash in any amount, at any time, with Discover Card! Learn more at https://Discover.com/RedeemRewards

The magic is waiting! Download Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells, for free, from the iOS App Store or Google Play today!

https://www.geico.com Bundle your policies and save! It's Geico easy!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SYSK Choice: The Psychology of Design & How to Be a Better Conversationalist Jul 09, 2022

Show notes

It seems to be human nature that the more money you have in your wallet, the more likely you are to spend it. And it also turns out that what kind of money is in your wallet influences how much you spend as well. Listen as this episode begins with some interesting psychology that will help you spend less so you keep more of your money. http://www.forbes.com/video/4061993829001/

I bet you have had someone design a logo or brochure or website for you and then when they show you what they did, they ask, “What do you think”? It has happened to me several times and the problem is, I don’t know what to think. I don’t know what makes a well-designed brochure or website. I don’t know what other people will think when they see it or what motivates people to respond. If this has happened to you, you’ll want to hear my guest Susan Weinschenk. Susan has a Ph.D. in Psychology, she is the Chief Behavioral Scientist and CEO at The Team W, Inc. (https://theteamw.com/) as well as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Wisconsin. She is also author of the book 100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People (https://amzn.to/323kNKK).

Think about how many times a day you speak to other people. Conversation is the primary way we communicate. Yet, you likely haven’t learned much about the science of conversation. The fact is that a conversation can beautiful and brilliant or it can be awkward and difficult. When you understand how it all work, you will be a better conversationalist. Joining me to explain the science of conversation is David Crystal. David is a writer and editor, and his latest book is called Let’s Talk: How English Conversation Works (https://amzn.to/32e4qLF).

When your doctor takes your blood pressure – does he check both arms? He or she should check both because the results are likely different. Listen as I explain why this is so important. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120320195749.htm

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!

Indeed’ is doing something no other job site has done. Now with Indeed, businesses only pay for quality applications matching the sponsored job description! Visit https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING to start hiring now.

Hometap is the smart new way to access your home’s equity and pay for life’s expenses without a loan! Learn more and get a personalized estimate at https://HomeTap.com

With Avast One, https://avast.com you can confidently take control of your online world without worrying about viruses, phishing attacks, ransomware, hacking attempts, & other cybercrimes!

The magic is waiting! Download Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells, for free, from the iOS App Store or Google Play today!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected